Steadfast in the City–Food Ban Update

Today in Philadelphia, a federal judge blocked the enforcement of the ban to prohibit feeding the homeless in public. Since much of a homeless person’s food supply is distributed outside due to high costs for downtown kitchens, and much of my mercy work is literally on the streets, this is truly an amazing development. In the ruling, relief agencies are required to work toward long-term solutions. I rejoice that the poor have been given justice in the courts and better cooperation is encouraged.

About Pastor Joshua Gale

Pastor Joshua Gale was born in Danville, IL, and later studied at Illinois State University, graduating with a degree in Philosophy in 2007. He then began his studies toward ordination into the Office of the Holy Ministry at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. Pastor Gale served a summer vicarage at a rural church plant in Hartford City, IN, and later a vicarage in Gary, IN, as an urban missionary to the city. Upon graduation from the seminary, Pastor Gale served as a missionary pastor with Philadelphia Lutheran Ministries, developing urban mission plans for mercy work and church planting in Philadelphia. In 2013, he accepted the call to serve in Lima, Peru, as a mission developer and church planter, focusing on the neighborhood of La Victoria through the recently opened Castillo Fuerte Mercy Center.
He and his wife Amanda have two children, Zechariah and Katharina.
View his blog here.

Comments

Steadfast in the City–Food Ban Update — 8 Comments

So what does this mean for all these organizations who jumped through hoops to find a way to do this indoors? Do you go back to what you were doing previously, or are the solutions that have been found going to be retained?

“In the ruling, relief agencies are required to work toward long-term solutions.”

I too rejoice in the end-result thus far, but the reason behind the ruling is unfortunate. One, the judge exceeds authority by telling relief agencies what to do. Two, the judge exceeds authority by decreeing that a “long-term solution” be developed to solve some invented problem (and I say invented problem because it is, and I am a food safety professional).

The right of citizens to care for the needy is infringed even in this ruling. The end result is good so far, but Rev. McCain is correct. Fascist state!

But in the meantime, and for the sake of the hungry, take the ruling and run with it! Feed ‘em til they stop you!

Very few organizations actually jumped through the hoops to serve inside. We’re lucky to have such generous and dedicated supporters who gave us the opportunity to shoulder the cost of moving inside. To let you in on the disfunction that exists, many groups just stopped serving altogether. The homeless people would line up in parks, waiting for someone to arrive with food at their usual time, but no one showed. It would just be people standing in line, for hours, in the sun, for no reason.

For us, we’ll keep serving inside. We are able to deliver a much better meal that way, but I can supplement with outside meals too.